Men in Black and Star Wars the Phantom Menace as Science Fiction
Both of these films contain ideas of war and peace, whether it is the
threat of invasion or the protection of land and values; also there is
an element of power that is exerted between two sides disrupting the
peace and the balance of the universe. Secrecy is added to indicate
that not everything should be available for all to see. Conformity is
a key theme and is evident throughout, either via costume or setting.
These films also reflect on the importance of secrecy to keep the
balance of power and ensure that conflict does not arise and the fact
that authority, no matter how high is undermining everything.
The establishing shot of “Star Wars the Phantom Menace” shows a very
peaceful, surreal landscape containing a rolling green hill, bright
blue sky and the odd cloud; this adds to the peacefulness.
Contradictory to this, immediately afterwards, large, mechanical war
vehicles spill over the crest of the hill, invading the serene
landscape. The rumbling of the vehicles sounds like a thunderstorm;
suggestive to the audience that something unpredictable, very large
and violent is about to take place. The effect of the darkened
lighting adds to the main theme of secrecy, it is as if the enemy are
casting a shadow over the faultless landscape. From this, it is
suggested that the antagonists are the ones invading, as we usually
assimilate shadows or the darkness with evil. All of these
connotations and presentational devices highlight one of the main
themes of this film, which is: the threat of invasion and the
protection o...
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...antom Menace contain references to the same main themes, but using
different aspects of the same presentational devices to highlight
them. Although both of these films are of the same genre – science
fiction, they have both applied varied degrees of subtlety as to how
they reveal this. Sonnenfeld has decided to use recognisable
contemporary aspects of subtlety, whether it is in the form of aliens
looking like humans or keeping the suspense of aliens being involved
to the latest moment. Where as George Lucas has immediately exposed
the fact that this is a sci-fi film, by showing new technology in the
first scene and also showing futuristic cities on unknown planets. I
have enjoyed studying these two film trailers as it has showed me the
deeper processes that the director has to got through to reach the
final production.
Such as in Fig. 5 where we can see a blue backlight that illustrates a lone figure walking down a path and a lit streetlight at the front depicts a mood of isolation and evokes uneasiness in the audience as though the figure is being
The use of light and dark motifs by Mulisch explains many reactions of Anton when encountered with problems of his past. Perception of darkness Anton Steinwijk, the main character, experiences such assault by soldiers during the Occupation and his family being shot by them. His desire to leave what has happened to him in the past has been influenced thoroughly by some of the people he encounters as well as the trauma. Light and darkness symbolizes Anton's sense perception as well as moral issues conveyed by people he met, which influences him observing the war and his past years of life, and the desire to leave the past behind and move on.
Motion Pictures have always had a strong influence in today’s culture, but maybe none as prevalent as Star Wars. Originating with Episode 4 A New Hope, the series boomed from 1977 to 2005 with yet another addition coming in 2015. The strongest of the series was the original trilogy episodes 4, 5, and 6, all generally released in the 1980s. As one of the strongest film francaises still today, it’s impact within the 1980s was only the tip of the iceberg. Children and adults alike still anticipate the new edition of this seemingly endless journey. If any singular film series still holds prevalence in its future decades it is Star Wars: Original Trilogy.
It can be argued that the theme of light VS darkness is used to good
Darkness is one of the main themes in this scene. She said, and brought in cloudy night. immediately. I will be able to do so. Spread thy curtains, love performing night', this.
In many scenes, dark and opaque shadows are cast onto the faces of many characters. These heavy shadows are symbols used to emphasize the hidden emotions and true self of Charles Foster Kane. Shadows prove to be mysterious in the way that they hide things from the light. In the film, the “light” is the truth about Charles, and shadows symbolize the fact that people can never fully understand the thoughts that make a man who he is. For example, Thompson spends the entire movie searching for the meaning of Kane’s life. However, Welles never exposes the face of Thompson, leaving him in the shadows for the entire movie. This is symbolic of the fact that people are in the dark when it comes to understanding the lives of others. It is impossible to truly know what a person feels on the inside, because everyone has unique past experiences that influence their lives. Charles Foster Kane is one of the most famous men in the whole world. In fact, when he died, he has one of the largest attendances at his funeral in history. Many people love Charles, yet no one was aware of the misery and agony that he feels inside, rooted in his lost childhood. The shadows used on the people around Kane and the people in his life symbolize the difficulty in interpreting the life and feelings of another
The films “Bladerunner” and “Fahrenheit 451” are similar in the way they show emotions in their depictions of distopias. The emotions shown are not normal to us, but are controlled by the government. The inhabitants of these worlds are being persuaded that emotions are bad, unhealthy. However, some do break free from the system. The cases in these movies are not of really living at all, but just of going through the motions of life.
There are many adaptations and interpretations on how the English arrived to the Americas and established their colonies. The 2005 film “New World”, written and directed by Terrance Malick, is a film based off the English settlers and how they settled in the Americas in 1607, and the forbidden relationship between John Smith and Pocahontas. Although the film highly exaggerates on some scenes in order to make the history seem more interesting, the film still holds most historical accuracy and is an enjoyable film.
Darkness is meant to conceal, light is meant to expose, and there is power intrinsically imbued in both of these. Murderers hide in the dark, waiting for their victims, and the atrocities of different countries are hidden in history and official memos and propaganda. At the same time, light exerts power because it illuminates, it discovers, it creates vulnerability on all it touches. These powers, however, do not simply exist; they are forged within every aspect of life, even the very structures that people live in. Low-income tenement apartments are built so that they are not seen, colored in a drab shade of gray or brick, build alongside one another so that they blend into the background. They have small lawns and even smaller windows so that people walking by cannot get a glimpse of the life inside; darkness is used to hide their sad reality. Victorian mansions, however, do not need to shroud themselves in darkness. Their almost treeless lawns, small front gardens, and large picture windows are meant to illuminate their wealth, showing it off for the entire world to see.
High-key lighting is typical in use with musicals, and Oz is no exception. The technique of brightly lighting the set to rid the film of dark shadows injects a happier feel, a lighter tone to the movie. Excellent use of low-key lighting in the film can be seen when the characters meet the wizard for the first time. The use of low-key lighting and the play of shadows here creates a sense of suspense in the viewer. The tone is dark, and the controlling color is
The lighting in this movie is very effective. It helps to establish the characters very well. The audience is helping in distinguishing the bad and the good characters through the lighting. The movie overall is very stylized. There are some other strange lighting patterns brought out by Hype Williams, but by far the most effective lighting patterns are ones that help to characterize the main players in the film.
The lighting was also very effectively used to show the coming and going of cars on the set. The reflection of lights on the front door of the house were used resemble those of an automobile. Even the final scene had just enough absence of light that the shadows of the characters could be seen sitting around the dinner table and praying by candlelight. At the very end of the performance the candles were extinguished consuming the set in blackness in turn signifying the end of the production.
The night sets used in the film are important to setting the mysterious atmosphere and sense of danger that the movie thrives in. The filmmakers utilized lighting fixtures of the time to amplify the sets. As Lincoln’s mother dies in his wooden cabin, the single light from a candle flickers illuminating the horrid scene. The light amplifies the sense of unease that a lone cabin sitting in the woods generates within modern people. Next, lanterns are used to illuminate key parts of the set during Lincoln’s first fight with a vampire. Only fixtures such as slave shackles, dark boat moorings, and a slowly breaking wooden dock are shown. The light cast drives the viewers focus onto objects that would cause a sense of dread and fear and make the fight much more powerful. Objects that would be considered frightening and strange today but common during the Civil War period are also used to generate an aura of danger and horror. During a fight, Lincoln stumbles into a basement filled with rope, porcelain bowls, and a straight razor. At the time these all would be common household objects, but immediately after it is revealed that this was the scene of multiple murders. Each of those objects symbolizes death in popular culture and generate a dark atmosphere that foreshadows the horror Lincoln was about to stumble upon. The combination of accurate lighting to focus the viewer on certain objects on the set and the symbolism that these objects represent generates much of the atmosphere the film
As the counterpart of light, darkness is commonly viewed as an evil and dangerous entity which consumes all and leaves nothing. However, Insurgent ignores the old and cliché use of darkness and makes it the symbol of truth and all that wh...
The producer was aiming to create mystery and fear. The dark of the night and the description of the house as feeling dead in the protagonist’s narration sets a suspenseful scene filled with fear and tension. The young girl is followed by the camera as she explores the mansion. When entering the room suspected to be that of her aunts the camera leaves her side to pan around the room. The darkness doesn’t reveal everything but one becomes aware of a search. The revelation of little secrets leaves the viewer with many questions. The room is familiar to the protagonist as she finds items symbolic to her and familiar photographs. This familiarity however does not retract from suspicions that something sinister has been hidden. The producer has successfully captivated the viewer. The protagonist is being followed throughout the scene and has thus allowed for the viewer to bond with them. They are engaging with the audience through narration and have in return enticed the viewer to follow them along their journey. One feels nervous for the young girl however through tension in the scene one does not want them to discontinue the journey as too many questions have been left unanswered. One has been drawn into the world of which the protagonist dwells and is intrigued as to how the drama is